Early Risers.

[iL Dottore]

4 hours ago, polybear said:

 

WHAAAT??  Is iD now being selective on what evidence he considers now, adopting a "couldn't be ar5ed" attitude instead?  Bear is shocked....

It's not a cure for cancer, it's just a diseasel with an exaggerated reputation. I think there are a lot of folk on ER who "can't be *****" about Deltoids.

4 hours ago, polybear said:

Thought not - 99.999% would only know what they were by the label on the inside (which is invisible in use); scuff them on a kerb and they're bvggered.  Meanwhile, Mr. C drives down the road in his gold-plated RR laughing at those standing at the bus stop in the rain whilst wearing his shoes.....

Actually quite a lot of people would know. Just because The Bear doesn't know what they are, doesn't mean others don't*

 

Anyway, iD doesn't "do" designer. Bespoke and tailored, yes. But never designer. 
 

Quality of materials and workmanship, together with functionality are the only things that matter! In practically every area you can think of!

*!it does seem there's a lot The Bear doesn't know. Like big words such as malodorous  🤣

 

Edited 3 hours ago by iL Dottore
Spelling, text

[TheQ]

According to the self promoting weather app that appears on this tablet without asking, it's 100% rain outside now..

I've been outside,  it's dull grey and dry...

 

Luckily swmbo is not that interested in expensive shoes or hand bags. Her only " prized" handbag is one I commissioned for her at Crufts .. it was handmade leather with a painting / dyed picture on the main flap. The picture being from a photo you supply.. it is of course a group photo of the five Collies we owned at the time.

Compared to handbags sold because of the "brand" it was quite cheap.

 

For a country that prides itself on tidyness, it's surprising how much grass  there is on those Japanese tracks..

 

Mooring Awl,

 

5 hours sleep, medium awake, 1 hour sleep, short awake, 1/2 hours sleep.

 

Have woken with a headache, but can't take anything for it until 30 minutes after the trial pill...

 

Plans for today,

Empty the landrover of plywood for unmentionables, and the sails. Sails will go up into the roof of the gardening shed for the winter.

There's a little computering work that needs doing..

 

But first 

Time for paracetamol.

 

[jjb1970]

56 minutes ago, iL Dottore said:

 

I think that JR Hokkaido will soon be retiring these:

They are quite comfortable even with longitudinal seating.

Pity they're metre gauge (despite being full size)

 

 

Tomix do a very nice 1/80 J-HO model, which I am sure is available in that livery, and at the current exchange rate it's not especially expensive either.

[Gwiwer]

8 hours ago, Ozexpatriate said:

Laurence Hewson is the individual in the article. The article is 10 months old

He has been featured in numerous publications and on social media / websites.  
 

Lines such as “This train will stop at every single station ….. we will not accept any compromises …..” and “What the pigeons do is their business; what you do is mine@ 

are from the Gwiwer School of Public Address. 
 

Others (referencing Melbourne’s alleged four-seasons-in-one-day weather) included “Please move along the platform … there’s more space at the sunny end!”  

[PhilJ W]

2 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

 

I think that JR Hokkaido will soon be retiring these:

They are quite comfortable even with longitudinal seating.

Pity they're metre gauge (despite being full size)

 

It's relatively easy to re-gauge rolling stock such as the Mk. II's sold to New Zealand (3' 6" gauge) and the Jinty's that were transfered to Ireland (NCC 5' 3" gauge)

Edited 5 hours ago by PhilJ W

[PhilJ W]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. It was persisting down last night and still is right now. The wet weather has set the eczema off again. Despite that it was a good night last night, four hours + two hours + one hour. But despite that I can't stop yawning. Not a lot to do today, some washing needs to go on and that's about it.

[New Haven Neil]

Morning, from a sleepy Fraggle, who had a bit of a lie in after yesterdays wood chopping exercise.

 

11C and sunny now, no idea what it was earlier when the lady of the house left for work.  That particular person does not value shoes, handbags or any of that crepe, but rather more expensive two-wheeled transportation devices are the way to marital happiness.  40th wedding anniversary cost me a Royal Enfield 350.

 

OK, must dash, as the day has shrink rather, and there are tasks to complete.  (See: Marital Harmony above).

[BSW01]

Good morning everyone 

 

No rain or wind here and the sun is trying to shine, who says it always rains in Manchester? Not a lot on the agenda today, I’ll shortly be setting off to collect Ava, who will be spending the day with us. Lucking at the sewing box on the dining room table, I think Ava will be starting her next sewing project, so I’ll just keep out of the way. 
 

Back later. 
 

Brian 

[DaveF]

A cold bright frosty morning, 0°C - or at least it was when I got up several hours ago.  Since then I've been doing odds and ends including the dusting and tidying before the cleaner comes.

 

Some time today I need to sort out photographs to show at a talk I am doing this coming Sunday to a group of people who make models of things that run on steel strips at a meeting in a village in Northumberland.  The trouble is that I have to try and not use photos I've shown before so I first need to have a look through previous picture shows I've done for them.

 

Later I need to have a look at the garden and see if the frost has killed any plants off and if so deal with them.

 

I also need to start doing a job for church which is not very urgent (yet) as it is not needed until the Sunday service.  Most of the work on it will be done on Friday.

 

David

Edited 4 hours ago by DaveF

[Tony_S]

32 minutes ago, New Haven Neil said:

40th wedding anniversary cost me a Royal Enfield 350.

I got pneumonia…

[Gwiwer]

29th anniversary celebration is still on hold here awaiting my return to reasonable health. 
 

We have a few free days in the diary towards the end of the month. Let’s see what happens. 
 

Currently awaiting a Sainsbury’s delivery. That will be our first delivery since moving here. Ocado, our previous preferred van-service, don’t reach the Distant (Signal) West. I would normally shop in person but being unwell makes that harder. 
 

And then it will be persuading systems to go and dropping Dr SWMBO at the station. The longest trip I will have made in almost two weeks. And (apart from a frantic plea to reverse-park for her last night) the first time driving in as long. 
 

[Gwiwer]

1 hour ago, Gwiwer said:

Gwiwer School of Public Address

I was thinking, in the absence of meaningful sleep last night, of a few moments from the career. 
 

Reading Festival : “The only thing going on seats is bums - beers, bags and bongs go on the racks or on the floor”

 

Royal Ascot : “Take my tip for the big race - a horse with a jockey on board will always be the winner”

 

Glastonbury Festival : “On the count of three all breathe in …. 1 - 2 - 3 ….. there’s space for a few more of you now!”

 

Busy morning heading to Waterloo : “Stand clear of the big blue slidey-things.  No-one goes anywhere until we can close them”

 

Fully-loaded train arrives from Gatwick Airport with luggage blocking the doorways : “Ladies and gents if you can’t get out please ask the chap with the 24 suitcases to help you”. 
 

Routine : “Please board this train for Earlsfield, Wimbledon, Raynes Park, New Malden, Norbiton and Kingston ….. did I say Epsom?  No?  Then don’t board this train for Epsom”. 
 

 Service disruption : “Ladies and gents the driver is going to Chessington, the guard is going to Shepperton, the sign says the train is going to Guildford and the signal says no-one is going anywhere.  I’ll get back to you when the person in charge has made their decision”. 
 

Ascot racing, again : “And the white bat is up - they’re under starter’s orders. And they’re off. The 9.28 is off and running. First to show is Richmond followed by Twickenham. Then there’s a gap until Feltham, Staines and Egham close behind. Virginia Water is making ground with Longcross closing up on the rails. Then it’s Sunningdale and finally Royal Ascot is the back marker at the moment. “

Management’s attitude varied. But mostly it was “WTAF??” followed by the realisation that I had the entire platform listening and on-side. One one occasion the duty manager called me over in a manner which suggested I was about to be hung, drawn and quartered. Instead the only words he could muster were “Brilliant. B****y brilliant”. 

[polybear]

1 hour ago, New Haven Neil said:

40th wedding anniversary cost me a Royal Enfield 350.

 

 

Shoes would've been cheaper...but you can borrow the bike.....

[Hroth]

 

All this talk about buying shoes and handbags and stuff, and the cost thereof....

 

Sounds like its all just another hobby*, and actually makes muddlin sound a darn sight more sensible!

 

* An expensive one at that!

 

[jamie92208]

1 hour ago, Tony_S said:

I got pneumonia…

I dread to think what our Ruby wedding trip cost but there are no pockets in a shroud and I only want to leave my overdraft to the kids. 

 

Jamie

Edited 2 hours ago by jamie92208

[rockershovel]

11 minutes ago, jamie92208 said:

I dread to think what our Ruby wedding trip cost but there are no pickets in a shroud and I only want to leave my overdraft to the kids. 

 

Jamie

Our Florida trip in Jan/Feb 2020 had elements of that about it. Mind you, if I'd seen the insanity that would follow and the problems it would cause I'd have stayed another couple of weeks. 

[TheQ]

Of spending, SWMBO has just announced we need to spend some of our savings.... We've no one to leave it to...

Then she said, What do you want to do?

 

 

More of the question is, what expensive item is she wanting?

 

 

As to spending, it's just come to my attention a Costco is to be opened in Norwich, luckily on our side..

Has anyone been a user of Costco? Is it worth it?

 

[polybear]

21 minutes ago, TheQ said:

 

As to spending, it's just come to my attention a Costco is to be opened in Norwich, luckily on our side..

Has anyone been a user of Costco? Is it worth it?

 

 

In Bear's (very limited) experience it's ok if you buy in bulk; if they sell fuel as well I believe that is cheap though.

[Barry O]

2 hours ago, PhilJ W said:

It's relatively easy to re-gauge rolling stock such as the Mk. II's sold to New Zealand (3' 6" gauge) and the Jinty's that were transfered to Ireland (NCC 5' 3" gauge)

There are lots of ex Gatwick express Mark 2s in a field in new zealand. Unlike a model to regauge the real ones involve a bogie swap not just a new set of wheels...

 

Hence they are still in store   

 

Baz

[Barry O]

30 minutes ago, TheQ said:

Of spending, SWMBO has just announced we need to spend some of our savings.... We've no one to leave it to...

Then she said, What do you want to do?

 

 

More of the question is, what expensive item is she wanting?

 

 

As to spending, it's just come to my attention a Costco is to be opened in Norwich, luckily on our side..

Has anyone been a user of Costco? Is it worth it?

 

@BSW01 uses Costco...

 

If you want to spend some dosh... take a nice trip somewhere warm and dry... 

 

Baz

[Mike Bellamy]

1 hour ago, TheQ said:

As to spending, it's just come to my attention a Costco is to be opened in Norwich, luckily on our side..

Has anyone been a user of Costco? Is it worth it?

56 minutes ago, polybear said:

In Bear's (very limited) experience it's ok if you buy in bulk; if they sell fuel as well I believe that is cheap though.

 

Good for buying in bulk and they often have things not found in other stores - however don't get carried away by their prices as VAT needs to be added. Do your homework beforehand and some things will be cheaper.

 

Fuel. When they opened the petrol station at the Derby store, they said it was a service to their members and wasn't to make a profit . . . . you may or may not believe that but it's certainly cheaper than elsewhere. Prices are shown online - our store is selling petrol at 127.9 and diesel at 134.9 - another I looked at was 130.9 and 135.9 so prices do vary across the country.

.

[Gwiwer]

53 minutes ago, Barry O said:

There are lots of ex Gatwick express Mark 2s in a field in new zealand. Unlike a model to regauge the real ones involve a bogie swap not just a new set of wheels...

 

Hence they are still in store   

 

Baz

That depends on the extent of change and the bogie construction. 
 

BR Mk2s of course ran on 4’ 8 ½” here but are expected to run on KiwiRail’s 3’ 6” gauge. A good many did and some still do. 

 

Within Australia state-based rail networks gave rise to the need to change gauges or swap payloads at border locations.
 

That is still true despite the advent of a so-called national standard gauge network and the gauge-conversion of some Victorian lines from 5’ 3” to 4’ 8 ½” in recent times. 
 

Locomotives are regularly swapped between broad and standard gauge bogies in Melbourne and Adelaide. Everything crossing the Queensland border, which is quite a lot of freight,  is transshipped between 4’ 8 ½” and  3’ 6” gauge wagons unless destined for Fisherman’s Islands on the outskirts of Brisbane which is dual-gauged. 
 

It can be done and done quite easily. But it takes time, time is money and it requires lifting (or a dedicated gauge-change run-through such as existed at Port Pirie) which cannot be done with payload or passengers aboard. 
 

But for a permanent straight swap between 5’ 3” and 4’ 8 ½” there should be enough space to move the wheels. Where that can be done. Not possible with single-castings of the “Monobloc” type as is commonly used on modern stock. 

[BoD]

Ballasting.

 

That's all folks.